Admittedly, my favorite meal of the day is snack time. Chowing down on something without having to spend forever-and-a-day cooking it is one of life's pleasures. Healthy and mindful snacks can add nutrition and vitamins to your daily diet if you choose correctly.

I work from home, and working from home makes it super easy to just reach over for whatever I can find in the fridge or in the pantry. I always have a lot of food on hand, mostly because of my job, but not all of my food falls in the "healthy" category.

For this reason, I prepare food for work just like anyone else that works a nine-to-five job outside of their home.

In my lunch box you will almost always find an apple, berries, soft cheese wedges such as Laughing Cow Light Swiss, nuts, crackers, a salad and bottles of water. Yes, bottles! Keeping hydrated is key to your health. Your body uses water to maintain its temperature and remove waste, among other things. Water can also help you slow down on all that munching. Water makes you feel full, allowing you to snack less in-between meals.

We also know that eating fruits and vegetables is good for us. We've been told time and time again that eating a few servings of fruits and veggies can prevent heart disease, some cancers and high blood pressure. Having a few fruits a day can literally save your life at one point or another.

I also look for snacks that are high in fiber, such as apples, and snacks that include protein, such as cheese, to help me with energy and to keep me full longer. On most days I like to pair crackers, or a couple slices of whole-grain bread, with a cheese wedge.

For a light, but filling meal, I always include a healthy salad. Packed with in-season vegetables, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and some fresh herbs, a salad can save you from running to that vending machine.

Disclosure: This post is part of a collaboration with Laughing Cow and SheKnows.